


My Promise

by NamelessMoogle



Series: 100 ways to say I LOVE YOU [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - War, Drabble, Friendship, Ikaruga, Ikaruga AU, M/M, Unrequited Love, Wartime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-29 16:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15733464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessMoogle/pseuds/NamelessMoogle
Summary: (A drabble based on these lines fromChapter SixofIkaruga: A Story of Two Pilots.)“Gladiolus, you know why we’ve come to the decision.”“I know how to fly her, Chief. Why can’t I go?”To everyone’s surprise, it was Ignis who intervened. “Gladio, we need you here to keep the village safe. You promised, remember?”





	My Promise

**Author's Note:**

> 58\. "You don't have to say anything."

Gladiolus Amicitia remembered little of his life before coming to the hidden village. He had a few memories of a large house and a loving mother, neither of which existed in his life in Ikaruga. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to what he had: his own strength and spirit, a goal to fight the empire off whenever he could, and his friends. 

Gladio held everyone in the village dear to him and would die to protect them. Nevertheless, there was someone closer to his heart than anyone else in the world. Granted, the entire village admired the same guy: who wouldn’t look up to the handsome young man constantly looking for what he could do to help them? Many villagers, regardless of the age and the gender, had felt their heart flutter as they heard him say something simple like “Are you all right?”

 _I guess I’m lucky to be working with him._ The job did allow Gladio to interact with the special one on a daily basis, and it immensely helped that they were close in age and shared the same goals. Gladio would sincerely consider himself lucky if it were not for the war, which allowed little to no romance in people’s lives. Each glance Gladio got to take of the other man was relief and pain rolled into one: relief, because he could see the beautiful man alive and well; pain, because the war could take either -- or even **both** \-- of them away from the living at any moment.

Gladio gritted his teeth and told himself to think more for the village and less for himself, like a good guardsman he should be.

*****

Having a day off was a luxury no one in Ikaruga could afford, so Gladio was content with what little time he had to himself. Although he took pride -- and some pleasure -- in keeping the Niffs away, he appreciated good books whenever he came across one, and he hadn’t yet had a chance to read this particular one since he acquired it. The cover, featuring a man in a suit and glasses, was quite compelling to boot…

“Gladiolus?” Someone broke the peaceful silence surrounding him. “Pardon the intrusion, but can you spare a moment?” It was the very same person whose intrusion Gladio would welcome anytime, anywhere.

“Sure.”

“You have been training to fly the Bird.” Eyes shone behind the specs as the young man spoke. “Why?”

“Someone’s gotta,” Gladio said.

“True. But…” 

_I don’t think I’ve ever seen him struggle with words._ “But?”

“But there are others who can handle her,” Specs paused before adding, “like Talcott.”

“You’ve heard the Old Man and the Chief: we have soldiers, but no pilot.”

“Which means you’re not fit to taker her into the battlefield, either.”

“Better me than someone else.” Gladio shrugged and spat the words out. “No one’s gonna miss me when I’m gone.”

A pair of green eyes lost focus for a moment, but a glint returned to them at once. “That’s not true.”

“Hmm, I guess there won’t be a whole lot of big guys like me around.”

“This is no time for a jest!” 

Gladio was taken aback, not having expected such vehemence from the usually calm and gentle man standing before him. However, he soon clenched his hands into fists and growled. “I’m dead serious, Iggy. I’m an orphan, and the muscles are the only reason why anyone would ever care about me.”

“Gladiolus Amicitia, I see that you’re much bigger a fool than you think you are.” Ignis took his glasses off and pressed on his temple with a fingertip, unable to hide the exasperation. “Your heart is the strongest attribute you possess, yet you don’t even know.”

“...I don’t understand.”

“Someday, you will. It’s not… It’s not something I can describe in a few words. But I digress: I’ve come here to ask you a favour.”

 _You, asking me a favor?_ “Tell me.”

“Whether you know it or not, you are important to us. All of us. One cannot walk around the village without running into someone you’ve helped, someone you’ve saved.”

“...That’s no favor.”

“I’m not done yet,” Ignis chided. “What I want you to do is… _We_ need you here to keep the village safe, Gladiolus, even when more of us must go to the frontline.”

Gladio couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “No! Why should I, when--”

“As the resistance forces fight for freedom,” Ignis interjected, “someone should keep their loved ones safe so that everyone will enjoy the freedom together when the time comes. You’re just the man for the task.”

“Iggy, I…”

“You don’t have to say anything, Gladiolus, but _please_ promise me.” 

It was impossible for Gladio to say no to this man, no matter what he asked. “...I promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> [Scream at me about my little fics](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1).


End file.
